Listed species
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Listed species are species, subspecies, or distinct vertebrate population segments that have been added to the federal lists of endangered and threatened species. As of May 2016, there were 2,389 endangered and threatened species listed under the Endangered Species Act in the 50 states and around the world.[1]
Background
A species is listed as endangered or threatened when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determines it is in danger of extinction in the near future or is likely to become in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future. The service uses the following criteria to determine whether to list a species:[2]
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Impact of listing
- See also: Costs of listing species
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) makes the taking of a listed species illegal. Taking a species includes the adverse modification of a listed species' habitat on private land. Any person that takes a listed animal knowingly can be fined for up to $25,000 by the federal government for each violation or instance. Individuals who otherwise unknowingly violate the ESA or an ESA-related regulation or permit can be fined for up to $500 for each violation or instance. State governments may apply further restrictions on the taking of listed species. The text of the law containing all federal penalties can be found here.[4][5][6]
The Endangered Species Act mandates that all federal agencies work to conserve listed species. Federal agencies must consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service if their actions could harm listed species or adversely modify their critical habitat. These actions include direct agency actions, actions funded by federal agencies, and federally authorized projects (such as through a federal permit). The consultation process will often lead to a biological opinion, which includes economical and/or feasible alternatives to proposed federal actions that would avoid harming a species or modifying its habitat.[7][8]
Listed species
As of August 2016, there were 695 federally listed animal species—494 endangered species and 201 threatened species—in the United States. There were 898 federally listed plant species—732 endangered species and 166 threatened species—as of August 2016. Including foreign species, the total number of listed species was 2,266 as of August 2016. The table below summarizes the number of endangered and threatened species.[9]
| Species listed under the Endangered Species Act (as of August 2016) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | United States | Foreign | Total listings (U.S. and foreign) | U.S. listings with active recovery plans | ||||
| Endangered | Threatened | Total listings | Endangered | Threatened | Total listings | |||
| Animal | 494 | 201 | 695 | 586 | 84 | 670 | 1,365 | 481 |
| Plant | 732 | 166 | 898 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 901 | 676 |
| Total | 1,226 | 367 | 1,593 | 587 | 86 | 673 | 2,266 | 1,157 |
| Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Summary of Listed Species, Listed Populations and Recovery Plans," accessed August 31, 2016 | ||||||||
Delisting a species
- See also: Delisting a species
Delisting is the process of removing an animal or plant species from the endangered or threatened list upon a determination that threats against it have been sufficiently reduced or eliminated. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delists a species if it recovered, went extinct, or was listed in error. A species is considered recovered when the agency determines that threats to an animal or plant species' survival have been eliminated or reduced. As of July 2016, 63 species were delisted. Of that total, 34 were delisted due to recovery, 19 species were listed in error (for scientific reasons or because new information about a species was discovered), and 10 species went extinct.[10]
See also
- Endangered Species Act
- Implementation of the Endangered Species Act
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Endangered species
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Summary of Listed Species Listed Populations and Recovery Plans," accessed December 1, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "ESA Overview," accessed October 1, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, " Endangered Species Act (ESA) Requirements for Construction Activities," accessed September 26, 2014
- ↑ National Wildlife Service, "Endangered Species Act," accessed January 29, 2015
- ↑ Lieberman & Belcher, "What Constitutes Harassment of an Endangered Species," March 17, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Section 7 Consultation," accessed August 18, 2016
- ↑ Washington Times, "In California, a flood of missed opportunities," April 19, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Summary of Listed Species, Listed Populations and Recovery Plans," accessed August 31, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Delisting a Species - Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act," accessed August 27, 2015
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